Muhammad Ghori – Key Points (Pre-sultanate era)

Muhammad Ghori: The Conqueror of India

Muhammad Ghori Notes GK: Muhammad Ghori was also known as Mu’izz al-Din. He was the founder of the Ghurid Empire in Central Asia. His reign was from 1173 to 1206 CE.

Muhammad Ghori is significant for UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) and other competitive exams, particularly for the syllabus’s Medieval Indian History subject.

Muhammad Ghori Founder of Muslim Rule in India
Origin: Ghurid dynasty
First Battle of Tarain (1191): Ghori defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan
Second Battle of Tarain (1192): Prithviraj Chauhan was executed by Ghori
Death: Assassinated in 1206

Muhammad Ghori

Background:

Born in the Ghor region of modern-day Afghanistan in 1144.
Son of the Ghurid ruler Baha al-Din Sam I.
His mother was a Hindu princess descended from Delhi’s royal house.

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Muhammad Ghori: Key points

The kingdom of Ghur was located in the region between Ghazni and Herat.
Muhammad Ghori ascended the throne in 1173.
He appointed his commander Nasiruddin Kubacha as the ruler of Sindh.
Defeated by the Chalukyas of Gujarat in the battle of Kayadara (near Mount Abu) in 1178, he fled to his homeland.
Then, second time, he entered India through the Khyber Pass.
In 1186 he conquered the fort of Lahore.
In 1189 Bhatinda was conquered.
Then Muhammad Ghori’s main opponent was Prithviraj Chauhan, the king of Delhi.
When Muhammad Ghori invaded India in 1191 in the First Battle of Tarain, he was defeated by the Chauhan king Prithviraj.
Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj in the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 AD and established Muslim rule in India.
In 1194 AD, Maha Ghuri won the battle of Chandoar and captured Kanauj.
Then his general Qutbuddin Aibak conquered the forts of Bundelkhand and Kalinjar in 1201 AD.
Another commander of Muhammad Ghori, Bakhtiyar Khalji with the permission of Qutbuddin Aibak, conquered Bihar and destroyed Odantapuri University.
Bakhtiyar Khalji conquered Nadia in 1204-1205 AD.
He defeated the Sena king Lakshmana Sen of Bengal.
Muhammad Ghori was the real founder of the Muslim Empire in India.
In 1206 AD, Muhammad Ghori was killed by a warrior sent by Khwarezm Shah on the banks of river Jhelum.
Qutbuddin ascended the throne of Delhi in 1206 AD after the death of Muhammad Ghori.

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Read More for UPSC

Who was Muhammad Ghori?

From 1173 to 1206 CE, Muhammad Ghori, known as Mu’izz al-Din, ruled over the Ghurid Empire in Central Asia. He is renowned for having brought Muslim dominance to India with his invasions into the Indian subcontinent.

What was Muhammad Ghori’s role in Indian history?

Muhammad Ghori was the first Muslim ruler to successfully establish a Muslim dynasty in Northern India. His conquests laid the foundation for the Delhi Sultanate in the subcontinent.

What were Muhammad Ghori’s major military campaigns?

Muhammad Ghori launched several military campaigns into India, including battles against the Rajput kingdoms. His most famous battles were the Battles of Tarain, where he defeated Prithviraj Chauhan.

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